A FUN BIRTHDAY WITH FRIENDS!

A few days ago Jean suggested we go to Tucson to a Chinese restaurant and have Dim Sum. Shirlie and Cliff, Doc and Jean, and Bob and I decided we should go on my birthday. Dim Sum is sort of a Chinese smorgasbord except they bring the food around to you. It was very interesting and very good. On our way back to Green Valley we stopped at Lowes and picked up plants and potting soil so we could put some plantings in at the new house.

After we were done planting, Doc, Jean, Shirlie, Cliff, Linda and Jim all came over to the new house to christen our patio. We had drinks and birthday cake! Oh and Baby, Cliff and Shirlie's dog, came too.

In the house on Calle Viva, we can't see the sunsets from our patio; but at the new house we get a view of both the sun rising and the sun setting. Below are two pictures of the sunsetting from our new patio.

I had a great birthday. They just come way to fast anymore!

THIS WEEK IN G.V.

We had a quiet week here in Green Valley. It was way too hot to go out much, but last night we did have an interesting cloud formation. That happens here a lot!

At the first of the week we had some storm clouds move in, alas, no rain, but there were some pretty rainbows.

Below: Meet Larry Lizard. Larry was just tiny last year, and we pretty much forgot he was in our backyard. When we came from Idaho, there he was; and he's a big boy now. He hangs out all over our backyard, and he sleeps in Bob's palm Christmas tree.

The other day I looked out the window and there was a Roadrunner; I'm sure he was looking for Larry, as Roadrunners love to eat lizards. So I went out and shooed him, but he didn't budge! Then Bob came out and shooed and he finally ambled off, thankfully without Larry for lunch!

I decided to give Boomer a shower. I took him into the bathroom and he flew off my hand and ran under the chester drawers where he hid and wouldn't come out.

I didn't dare reach in to drag him out as he would have bitten me, so I just left him there for a while and eventually he wandered out. He still got his shower!!

We also had the snake incident this week which is in the following blog. Exciting here in Green Valley, isn't it?

EXCITEMENT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Yesterday the man reading the water meters found a snake in the neighbor's meter, so Bob called the Fire Department's snake removal number. Of course Bob had to help! So I stood way back and took pictures. Below Bob is opening the cover on the meter. The man from the Fire Department grabbed this big guy and was nice enough to put him down for a picture.

Then into the snake box.

There was another snake in the same meter, but he/she tucked way back in and no amount of prodding could get him/her out.

So Bob hooked up a hose and they ran water into the hole.

And they fished around some more, but still the snake wouldn't come out. Notice I'm standing way back!

Until finally the snake appeared, and he was really mad, so the man grabbed him and into the box he went, and I didn't get a chance for a good picture.

The people from the Fire Department told me that this was the fifth snake removal call they had been on that day, and this was before noon!

SLEEP, CREEP, LEAP!!

I suppose you have all heard the saying; sleep, creep, leap when you plant a new plant? Well the first year after planting it sleeps, the second year it creeps, and the third year it leaps. I'll tell you this is not true when there is a good monsoon! I put the picture below on the prior blog. Bob took it of me this past April. (if you click on the picture it will enlarge) Yesterday we had to re-stake it because the base was too big, and the little stake that was in it to begin with wasn't holding it. We also had to trim it a little as it had grown so much; so Bob took this picture. If it continues to grow at this rate it will be huge in no time! YEA!!

THE MONSOON IS IN FULL SWING

While we were gone to Idaho, for three and a half months, the monsoons in Green Valley got with it. Plus we have had some good storms since we've been home. A couple of pictures of the clouds that form over the Santa Rita Mountains.

And then the beautiful rainbows after the storms.

When we arrived home and looked out at our patio, we were amazed at how much all our plants had grown. In the picture below you can barely see the fountain and the other plants by the Mexican Bird of Paradise.

And this pictures is after we had done some major trimming.

Bob took this picture of me at the end of April with my new little Palo Verde.

This is a picture we took, of the same tree, after we got home.

Our poor Saguaro cactus was engulfed by the Mexican Bird of Paradise.

Below is after we cut the Bird of Paradise back.

Everything in the desert is green and lush this year. It is truly amazing to see.

OUR TRIP HOME

On our trip home, we stayed in Spanish Fork the first night so that we could see Justin, Lacie and the kids. It was great seeing them and we had a delicious lasagna dinner! Below are Grandpa and Lexie. Boomer loved Max and Jake's little cars.

But Jake isn't so sure he likes Boomer playing with them.

The next night we stayed in Moab. Neither Bob nor I had ever been there. It's only about a 3 hour drive from Spanish Fork so we had the afternoon to drive through the Arches National Park.

As you can see by the picture below, a storm was a brewin'.

This picture is taken towards Moab.

And as you can see by my hair the wind was really blowing.

Just more pictures of the scenery.

This was a beautiful and interesting place, and we have already decided we will make this trip again sometime.